Few quilting artists have all the time they want for creating fiber art & quilts. But accomplishing more--while still enjoying it and doing a good job--is often a matter of efficiency rather than speed. Here are some ways to work smarter and more efficiently without rushing or taking shortcuts that...

Spring is such a busy time of year: graduations, wedding showers, barbecues, the end of the school year, and so on. It seems I always need an idea for a quick gift for a teacher, hostess, or guest of honor. That's when my bin of fabric scraps and list of fabric art projects come to the rescue. A...

Do you ever wonder where trends come from? How is it that all of a sudden it seems like everyone is quilting with a hexagon motif and then the next thing you know, color blocking is all the rage? One of the recent trends that seems to have come out of nowhere is the popularity of English paper piecing...

Patchwork Checkerboard, from 101 Patchwork Projects + Quilts With summer approaching and the school year ending, a lot of parents I know are looking for projects to keep their kids busy (and somewhat unplugged) in the coming weeks. This patchwork checkerboard designed by our assistant editor for special...

Contemporary patchwork projects are everywhere these days. Even the artists contributing to our sister publication, Cloth Paper Scissors are getting into the act--but they're using paper! This paper patchwork corset is just one of the pieces by Michaela Laurie, a paper quilting specialist, featured...

Designer Kaffe Fassett has said he finds much of his inspiration for his palettes and patterns from books on ethnic textiles and his own worldwide travels. "I follow women in the marketplace to get a look at the pattern on the edge of their skirts or the way they put a flower in their hair,"...

One of the hardest things for me at quilt shows is observing the no-touch rule. As much as I completely understand it, I often silently thank the quilt guardians for keeping me on my best behavior. It's so hard to resist all those touchable textiles! So, every time I return from doing a show like...